(Galatians 3:13)"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."

When the Lord Jesus Christ hung on that cross, He was made a curse for us – the object of God's wrath and judgment. We who believe will never endure the curse of God's wrath. Being made a curse for us, "Christ hath redeemed us." He did not make our redemption possible, nor did He make us redeemable. "Christ hath redeemed us." The us are those who have looked to Him – believed in Him – trusted Him.

The work of Christ is the theme of Holy Scripture, the foundation of our faith, and the only hope we have of eternal salvation. This is the Good News that we proclaim. We say to every sinner, who will believe, that, "Christ hath redeemed us." The Work is accomplished. It is finished.

I want to give you four words which will help you remember this work of Christ in redemption. They will comfort your heart and fill it with thanksgiving and praise to Him.

The first word is SOVEREIGNTY. Redemption was an act of Divine sovereignty – "He laid down His life for us." There was nothing in us that obligated Him, or moved Him to die for us. He voluntarily laid down His life for us, because it was the free and sovereign pleasure of His love to do so. "The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep"(John 10:11).

Christ, the sovereign God, determined everything about His death – that He would die, who His murderers would be, when He would die, where He would die, how He would die, for whom He would die, and the results of His death.

The second word is SUCCESS. Because He is the eternal, sovereign God, we are assured that His death and redemptive work is not a failure – "He shall not fail." What He determined to accomplish at Calvary, He accomplished. He completed His mission. He has successfully put away sin, brought in an everlasting righteousness, and redeemed unto Himself a people.

The third word is SUBSTITUTION – He died as the Substitute for a particular people. Those for whom Christ stood as a substitute at Calvary, bearing their sins and enduring the wrath of God in their place, shall never perish. They are redeemed! Their sins have been put away. He who was made sin for us has made us the righteousness of God in Him.

The fourth word is SATISFACTION – His substitutionary sacrifice for our sins has completely and perfectly satisfied the wrath and justice of God that is against us. His sacrifice was infinitely meritorious, so that every sinner who believes on Christ is freely justified and fully pardoned. And now, God looking on the merits of His Son, pardons every sinner who looks on His Son in faith.

Think on these four words – Sovereignty, Success, Substitution, Satisfaction – as they relate to the death of Christ. They will help you remember the death of Christ according to the Scriptures and comfort your soul.

Milton W. Howard is pastor of Kitchens Creek Baptist Church in Ball
KitchensCreek@bellsouth.net